


It’s Not Just France

by JewishDavidJacobs



Series: David & Judaism [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Antisemitism, Canon Jewish Character, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, History, Implied Javid, Judaism, one of those weird stories where you’re not really sure what it’s about until the end, so…sorry about that, that wasn’t how I saw it going when I started writing but that’s where it ended up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23664607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JewishDavidJacobs/pseuds/JewishDavidJacobs
Summary: After seeing the headline, Crutchie seeks out a distraught Davey on the rooftop. Katherine follows.
Relationships: Crutchie & David Jacobs, David Jacobs & Katherine Plumber Pulitzer
Series: David & Judaism [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703293
Comments: 1
Kudos: 66





	It’s Not Just France

“You all right, Dave?” Crutchie sat down on the roof of the lodging house next to him. He was obviously there because of the headline. Davey was clutching an open newspaper, knuckles white and shoulders tense. He startled when Crutchie put a hand on his arm, trying to get his attention. 

“What? Oh, Crutchie, hi. Did you…sorry did you say something?” His friend smiled kindly at him. 

“Yeah. I just asked if you’re all right. You seem upset.”

“Oh. Um, yeah. Sorry, I should have asked before coming up here,” he apologized, blushing. 

“Don’t be. You’re always welcome up here. Jack should be back soon,” he smirked knowingly, “He’s just dealing with an argument between two of the fellas.” 

“Everything all right?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “So what’s bothering you?” 

“Nothing. I’m fine.” 

“You’re a terrible liar, David,” Crutchie said and laughed. “How about you let me guess?”

“Okay?” Davey chuckled and put the paper aside. 

“Does it got something to do with The Sun’s headline today?” David stared at him, shocked. He rolled his eyes. 

“I’m not an idiot.”

“No! I never said you were! Just…”

“None of the other boys noticed?”

“Yeah…”

“So do you want to talk about it?” 

“I don’t know.”

“That’s okay too,” he assured. They heard a clattering from below and saw Katherine come to the top of the ladder. 

“Hi boys. What’s happening up here?” she asked, trying to act nonchalant. David rolled his eyes. 

“You know, for a reporter, you're pretty bad at hiding what you’re thinking.”

“You know for a jerk, you’re a jerk.” He laughed, momentarily distracted. “Besides,” she continued, smirking, “That’s just because you know me.” Her expression shifted to one of concern as she sat down on Davey’s other side. “So are you all right?”

“I’m not sure. I guess no. I should be though, right?”

“Why do you think that?” she asked. He shrugged. 

“Well, I shouldn’t be surprised, should I? I know it’s controversial but you and I both knew how this was going, Katherine. I’m sure you did too, Crutchie. I didn’t meant to exclude-”

“It’s fine, Dave. I know it’s personal for you two.” 

“I’m not…I don’t know,” Katherine began. “I don’t consider myself Jewish. I grew up going to church with my mother. My father doesn’t talk about it much. I’m proud of my heritage though.”

“Still, it makes sense that you would be upset. It’s your heritage. Hell, it’s not even my heritage and I’m upset by it.” She smiled and reached over to touch his knee in thanks. 

“It’s just…very obvious that he didn’t do it. There’s evidence! Everyone knows it deep down! It’s just because he’s Jewish!” Davey ranted, pulling at his hair. He had been doing it all day and at the rate he was going, he figured he was going to have a bruised scalp when he woke up the next morning. “And ever since this started people in my neighborhood keep talking about how we’re so lucky to live here and how they can’t believe the French would do this and it’s ridiculous! I mean, yes, we’re lucky to live here, I realize that. I’m lucky and other people I used to know aren’t. I think about that a lot. I’m…I never  _ stop _ thinking about it. But the same thing would happen here! And it’s not like my neighbors don’t know that! They get shit all the time! They’re just pretending because they don’t want to think about it.” Katherine nodded. 

“But isn’t that okay? You don’t see it that way and that’s fine, but shouldn’t they be allowed to cope the way they need to too?” Katherine suggested. “I don’t want to sound rude, Davey, I don’t mean to say-”

“No, you’re right. And you don’t sound rude. I know that deep down, it’s just…frustrating to hear in class about how it isn’t because he’s Jewish and then in my neighborhood to hear that it  _ is  _ but it wouldn’t happen here. Of course it would! And I know that because in class they say it isn’t because he’s Jewish! It’s a vicious cycle and I’m just…exhausted. And my parents won’t talk about it at all and Sarah’s just as mad as I am and… and I know I shouldn’t take it personally and it’s not about me - it’s literally about someone on another  _ continent  _ but…I just can’t help it.” Neither of his friends said anything, knowing they had nothing to add and he just needed to get it off his chest. Katherine rested her head on his shoulder and he sighed, dropping his head onto hers.

“Well, I can’t fix any of that, but,” Crutchie reached behind him and put his hands into his paper bag, which looked fuller than usual. Turning back, Davey and Katherine laughed when they saw what he had. 

“Where’d you get that?” she asked. 

“Race.”

“Where did  _ Race  _ get that?” Davey exclaimed. Crutchie smirked. 

“There are perks to being the King of Brooklyn’s friend.”

“Sure,” Katherine said, “ _ Friend _ .” They laughed.

“I also got these.” Crutchie pulled out three small glasses that were dirty enough that under normal circumstances would scare David, but not today. “I figured we’d end up here.” He poured out the whiskey into the glasses. 

“Davey?” asked Katherine. “You want to make a toast?” Davey nodded and then thought for a minute. Finally, he raised his glass, toasted, and they followed. 

They clinked their glasses, took the first of several shots they would have that night, and tried to forget. It certainly wasn’t a healthy coping mechanism, but on the bright side, they confused the hell out of Jack when he eventually did come up there and found the three friends he thought would never do this, doing it and laughing their asses off. 

“Okay…” he said. “I’m going to go take Les home because clearly you’re spending the night.” 

“Oui, monsieur!” he yelled, unaware of his own volume. When Jack did get back, they asked if he wanted one and he said yes.

“Then you gotta do the toast we been doing,” Davey slurred and Jack smiled fondly. 

“Sure, Dave. Why don’t you do it and I’ll follow?” After filling the two glasses up, Jack handed one to Davey and they raised them in the air. “Go ahead.”

“To Captain Dreyfus!” 

“To Captain Dreyfus!” Crutchie and Katherine echoed, drinkless though they were. Jack smiled. 

“To Captain Dreyfus.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Dreyfus affair divided France and brought a lot of deeply entrenched antisemitism to light, even making it worse. By this time, it had become pretty clear that Alfred Dreyfus wasn’t guilty, at least to some people. He would later be exonerated. He went on to serve in WWI and achieve the rank of lieutenant-colonel.


End file.
